Two days ago I bought a book called "THE FIRST MORTGAGE" by E.U.Cook (Rhodes & McClure Publishing Co., Chicago, 1899, 228 pgs. + 14 pgs. Ads – Originally published in 1891). It is described as “A truthful, instructive, pleasing and poetical presentation of Biblical stories, history and gospel truth.”

I’ve been trying very hard to find out exactly WHO E.U. Cook is. Clues led me to the E.U. Cook who settled in Muscatine, Muscatine Co., IA. I found this biographical sketch online:

E. U. COOK, attorney at law and loan agent; was born at Spiceland, Henry Co., Ind., June 22, 1845; was educated at Spiceland Academy; in 1866, began teaching at Plainfield, Ind., as Principal of the public schools; in 1868, he was engaged as Governor at the Indiana State Reform School, which position he occupied one year, during which time a considerable portion of the work was hunting up escaped convicts, a number of whom had escaped soon after they had been brought to the institution; at the end of the year, all of them had been found and returned, with the exception of one; he resigned at the Reform School, and returned to Spiceland Academy, in which he graduated. In June, 1870, on his 25th birthday, he married Miss Elvira Charles, of Milton, Wayne Co., Ind; in September of the same year they removed to Springdale, Cedar Co., Iowa, where he engaged as Principal of Springdale Seminary, which position he filled for five years; at the end of which time he resigned to enter the law department of Iowa State University, from which he graduated on his 31st birthday, June, 1876; he then began the practice of law at Newton, Jasper Co., Iowa; but in a few months, removed to Muscatine, and has since been engaged in the practice of law, loan and real estate business. He has made a complete set of abstract-books of all the land-titles in Muscatine Co.; this required the labor of two persons two and a half years. Mr. Cook and wife are members of the society of Friends. They have two children--Charles Dale and Jessie Florence.

My question is: Is this E.U. Cook the same E.U. Cook who authored "THE FIRST MORTGAGE"? Any assistance in clearing up this mystery would be greatly appreciated